Cindy Hoedel And The Quintessential Summer Recipe

A good ratatouille starts with fresh ingredients that you can find at farmers markets this time of year.

Credit Danie Alexander / KCUR 89.3

Summer is just about over and seasonal crops like zucchini, tomatoes and peppers are ripe for the picking. Today, Flint Hills resident and friend of the show Cindy Hoedel bravely attempts to teach host Steve Kraske the tricks and skills for cooking a proper ratatouille — without burning down the house! Then, we get an update on her life in the rural Flint Hills.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, toss the chopped vegetables with the oil. Transfer to a large roasting pan or cookie sheet and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.

Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender and slightly browned. In a 5-quart covered heavy pot, simmer the tomatoes, garlic, parsley, basil and olive oil for 30 to 40 minutes. Add the roasted vegetables to the sauce and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes to an hour. Add salt and pepper to taste.

To freeze, let ratatouille cool completely to room temperature, then ladle into rigid plastic or glass freezer containers or plastic freezer bags. Reheat in a saucepan on the stove over medium heat until the contents are melted, then reduce heat to low and cover pan under vegetables are heated all the way through, 15 to 25 minutes.

It's Friday and we're celebrating the end of the work week with a nice glass of wine and a live broadcast from Holy-Field Winery in Basehor, Kansas. Today, we speak with master sommelier Doug Frost and three vintners from Missouri and Kansas about what it takes to grow great grapes and make marvelous wine in the Midwest. It's not as easy as you might think!

While most TV chefs are teaching quick and easy recipes, writer Cindy Hoedel wants to slow down. In her latest venture, Hoedel steps in front of the camera to cook without recipes from her Flint Hills kitchen.

Why are thousands of Missourians losing state funding for nursing home or in-home health care this week? On this episode, we discuss how that funding was salvaged—and then lost again. And one legislator shares her ideas for how to get it back.